Marshall Of Rock

Download 2012 at Castle Donington in the UK took place last weekend, and Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor picking up the Best Download Moment Ever award for Slipknot’s set in 2009 was a highlight. The award was presented by Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas and Download organizer Andy Copping. Taylor gets rather emotional when receiving the award. It's some cool video. Check it out followed by more of the Panther and other interview and highlights of band performance clips.

"Saxon -Heavy Metal Thunder -Live -Eagles Over Wacken" is the no-fat-no-bullshit-100%-pure CD/DVD featuring DVD highlights from Saxon's Wacken shows in 2004, 2007 and 2009 comprising thirty songs, plus a live CD from Glasgow in 2011. Each set captures the Barnsley-bred British heavy metal legends delivering classic after classic, from "Denim & Leather" to "Metalhead" to "Heavy Metal Thunder" to "Princess Of The Night" to "Crusader" in front of 75,000-pluds loyal, ravenous fans, who have come to expect (and receive) the levels of performance Saxon have been delivering for 32 years.

"When we first played Wacken, it was a small festival with a small stage in a small field, driven by nothing more than raw enthusiasm, which appealed very much to us," says Biff Byford, Saxon's frontman. "It started as fans putting on a festival for fans, and now it's fair to say that it is to heavy metal what the Donington festival used to be. That was the iconic heavy metal festival of the '80s, and Wacken is the iconic heavy metal festival of now."

"And when the eagle comes down at Wacken, when it opens up over the audience, it is always an electric moment for those there," says Biff emphatically of the famous Saxon eagle, a ton or so of steel and lights, rescued from a storage space in the British home counties where it had lain dormant gathering rust. In many ways, the eagle's rebirth and Wacken's ascent are partners on the journey, as it was Wacken's organizers who offered to restore the mighty metal bird so as it could become a live centerpiece of both Wacken and Saxon's history.

"Heavy Metal Thunder - Live - Eagles Over Wacken" is available in a variety of formats, including the Golden Ticket D2C/Direct To Consumer Box. Strictly limited, this exclusive package contains the "Best Of Wacken" DVD, plus the full and complete Saxon Wacken Open Air performances from 2004/2007/2009 each on a separate DVD, plus a Saxon flag.

The real surprise is that 10 Golden Tickets are randomly included in the box sets, which will allow the lucky winners to visit any Saxon concert in any city around the world (excluding festival appearances).

Release dates:
Apr. 23 - U.K.
Apr. 20 - Rest Of Europe
May 22 - North America

Here's the two podcasts that have been released, as well as some preview clips from the DVD:

Night one of Metallica's epic four-night stint at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA in celebration of their 30th Anniversary is now available for digital download at LiveMetallica.com here.

Night one took place on Dec. 5, and the guests included former bassist Jason Newsted, John Marshall of Metal Church, Sean Harris and Brian Tatler of Diamond Head, Biff Byford of Saxon, Apocalyptica, and the Soul Rebels Brass Band.

Metallica have also released an EP titled ‘Beyond Magnetic’ that features roughly-mixed versions of four tracks that were originally recorded for ‘Death Magnetic’ in 2008 but didn’t make it on the final album. Metallica debuted the songs at the 30th Anniversary shows last week, one each night. The track titles are: ‘Hate Train,’ ‘Just A Bullet Away,’ Hell And Back’ and ‘Rebel Of Babylon.'

The ‘Beyond Magnetic’ EP will be sold only through iTunes for one week, after which it will be available via other digital retailers.

Metallica issued this statement regarding the release of the EP:

“During the ‘Death Magnetic’ album sessions in 2007 and 2008, we originally recorded 14 songs. When it came time to pick the songs for the final album, we decided on 10 songs that you’ve all come to know over the last three years. Some of you may have heard bits and pieces of those other songs on ‘Mission Metallica’ (remember ‘Mission Metallica’?!) or heard rumors about them during the recording process, and wondered, ‘What ever happened to those other four songs???.’ We kept them in the vault and decided to pull them just for this special celebration, so here are the four leftover tracks from the Death Magnetic sessions. They are ROUGH mixes, unfinished to their original degree of mixing from March ’08. These four songs were released as gift to our closest fans, the members of our Fan Club, to enjoy. Now they’re being made available to you.”

The first of the four anniversary shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco kicked off Monday night (Dec. 5) and began with a big-band jazz tribute by the Soul Rebels. The New Orleans ensemble joyfully reinterpreted Metallica classics, including "Enter Sandman" and "One." The brass section marched to the stage while the members of Metallica rocking along from an overlooking balcony.

The mood was electric in the building as audience members had to win a fan club lottery just to get tickets. The Fillmore's Poster Room is serving as a makeshift Metallica Museum with artwork, instruments and other group memorabilia. Comedian Jim Breuer, who hosted several "game shows" using contestants plucked from the audience. The first competition focused on band trivia while a second game was entitled "Name That Riff." Apocolyptica was up next and played a set of their arrangements, including "Master of Puppets" and "Nothing Else Matters."

Slipknot, Scorpions, Kid Rock, Rolling Stone's David Fricke, celebrity chef Guy Fieri, Beavis and Butthead all contributed filmed tributes. U2 also filmed a short skit in which they were in a therapy session, comically referencing Metallica's 2004 documentary, Some Kind of Monster. James Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett then welcomed late bassist Cliff Burton's father, Ray, who shared stories about the band his son had shared with him.

The band then hit the stage, playing "Carpe Diem Baby" from their 1997 release, ReLoad, followed by another first-timer, "Hate Train", a previously unheard outtake from 2008's Death Magnetic. According to Hetfield, the studio version will be available "sometime next week" on iTunes. They also did an acoustic version of Nazareth's "Please Don't Judas Me."

Guests included Kirk Hammett high school classmate John Marshall of Metal Church, who has filled in for Hetfield on guitar in the past when he's been injured, Diamond Head, Biff Byford of Saxon, and former bassist Jason Newsted. The man who was in Metallica for 14 years performed "Harvester of Sorrow" with his replacement, current bassist Robert Trujillo, then Hetfield begged him to stay for a second tune, "Damage Inc."

Here's the best and most thorough reviews of night one of the concerts  www.sfweekly.com www.rollingstone.com  and www.contracostatimes.com

Check out an awesome photo gallery from the show on Metallica's facebook page here.

Dec. 5 Setlist:
1. The Call Of Ktulu
2. No Remorse (full version)
3. The Shortest Straw
4. Leper Messiah
5. The Day That Never Comes
6. Carpe Diem Baby (first time performed live)
7. Hate Train (previously unreleased song from "Death Magnetic" sessions)
8. Please Don't Judas Me (acoustic; NAZARETH cover)
9. Wherever I May Roam (with fan-club member John Dent)
10. Sad But True (with John Marshall)
11. (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth (impromptu jam by Robert Trujillo)
12. No Leaf Clover (with APOCALYPTICA)
13. One (with APOCALYPTICA)
14. Harvester Of Sorrow (with Jason Newsted)
15. Damage, Inc. (with Jason Newsted)
16. Motorcycle Man (with Biff Byford)
17. The Prince (with Sean Harris, Brian Tatler)
18. It's Electric (with Sean Harris, Brian Tatler)
19. Helpess (with Sean Harris, Brian Tatler)
20. Am I Evil? (with Sean Harris, Brian Tatler)
21. Seek & Destroy (with everyone)

James Hetfield is hoping hoped Ozzy Osbourne and Motorhead bassist/singer Lemmy Kilmister will be among the guests at the shows, which continue tonight (Dec. 7) and with the final shows Dec. 9 & 10.

Saxon just wrapped up (with the exception of one upcoming show) their North American tour behind their "Call To Arms" album. The band has had a successful return to the U.S., after not touring here for quite awhile. Biff Byford and the boys have posted tour podcast updates from Toronto, New York, San Antonio and Las Vegas. Check out the footage below:

Saxon rocked BB King's in New York City on October 13th.